> FAMILY VIOLENCE PROTECTION ACT 2008 - SECT 7 > **Meaning of emotional or psychological abuse** > For the purposes of this Act, **_emotional or psychological abuse_** means behaviour by a person towards another person that torments, intimidates, harasses or is offensive to the other person. - Emotional Abuse - Threatening to withhold medication - Threatening to commit suicide/self-harm to torment family - Blaming the victim for all relationship problems - Constantly comparing victim with others (undermining self-esteem/worth) - Sporadic sulking - Withdrawing all interest/engagement (weeks of silence) - Emotional blackmail - Verbal Abuse - Swearing and continuous humiliation - Attacks focusing on victims intelligence, sexuality, body image and capacity as a parent or spouse - Social Abuse - Systematic isolation from family/friends through rudeness/alienation to them - Instigating/controlling move of house to location where victim has no social circle/employment opportunities - Forbidding/preventing victim from going out and meeting people - Psychological Abuse - Driving dangerously - Destroying property - Abusing pets in front of family - Making threats regarding custody of children - Asserting that police/justice system won't assist, support or believe victim - Spiritual Abuse - Denying/misusing religious beliefs to force victims into subordinate roles - Misusing religious/spiritual traditions to justify physical violence/abuse